Yesterday was ANZAC day,when Australia and New Zealand commemorate the men and women who have served in ther armed forces. We planned our own dawn service out at the aerodrome. In the war years it was an airforce training base, and our father was stationed there. He met our mum at a local dance, and the rest is history. We feel a great connection with the place, even though now it's just a small collection of modern buildings and runways that the public aren't allowed access to. We all have memories of being out there with Dad for airshows, and feeling his excitement. Our brother Doug is an army Vietnam Vet, and I was in the RAAF like Dad.We arrived in darkness and waited for the dawn. At first light we played a recording of The Last Post, spent a few minutes with our thoughts and memories, recited the Ode of Remembrance and played Reveille. A simple little ritual, but meaningful. The bugle recordings were heart-breakingly beautiful in the still air, the only other sound some plovers crying out on the airstrip.I'd cooked ANZAC buiscuits so we had tea and biscuits for breakfast and talked some more about our family history. Dad almost never mentioned his war years, so we had better record what we can remember of his recollections before we forget as well. None of us are young anymore.....

Most Australians have an opinion whether Anzac biscuits should be hard and crunchy, or crisp and chewy, or cakey. The original biscuits were baked hard and crunchy so that they would keep on the slow sea voyage to the troops overseas. I personally will only eat them if they are crisp and chewy, and these were just right. They MUST contain rolled oats and golden syrup or treacle to be authentic; I have noticed trendy versions with dried fruit, but that's not part of the original recipe.